At the risk of sounding like a pessimist, I have to admit I've kind of given up on my traditional New Year's Resolutions, which have typically involved a) losing weight or b) organizing my home.
After a decade of miserably failed resolutions, I have come to terms with the fact that I will never again look like I did in college, and my "junk" drawer in the kitchen will never look like the pristine and attractive ones in the pages of Real Simple or Better Homes and Gardens.
And I'm okay with that. Because in my mind January means something even more exciting: the promise of spring.
"Spring?" you ask.
"We're in the middle of winter!"
"We're in the middle of winter!"
Well of course we are--you are right--but if you are a gardener, seasoned or fledgling, this is the time of year you begin to make big plans for your little patch of earth. For me, that means pulling out my most trusted gardening books, magazines, seed catalogues, and last year's garden journal.
I will scatter them around me like fallen leaves.
I will make lists of the vegetables and fruits I want to grow.
I will research new varieties I might like to try.
I will order whatever garden supplies I may need come March.
Now, this is not to imply that my raised beds are sitting empty and untended at the moment. Quite the contrary, they are pumping out the hardy staples of winter: broccoli, cauliflower, Swiss chard, kale, Chinese cabbage, green onions, etc.
Nevertheless, I dream of spring. Spring is the time of rebirth, of new possibilities. It is the time to wipe the slate clean and start anew.
So if you've been considering starting a garden this year, or expanding your current patch, I encourage you to start planning now. Whether you'd like to try to build a raised bed in your sprawling yard, or just add a few pots of tomatoes and basil on your pocket-sized patio, you can take the first step toward helping your family eat and live more sustainably.
Think big but start small.
Dream a little dream of spring... with me.
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